Quick response by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) on Tuesday evening saved the Charlestown Post Office from being completely destroyed.
The GFS on Wednesday evening said it received a call at around 21:08h on Tuesday, alerting it to the fire at the Post Office, located at High Street, Georgetown.
“Water tenders 76, 105 and 107 from the Central Fire Station and West Ruimveldt Fire Station immediately responded to the scene, and were able to contain the fire and save the two-storey wooden and concrete building”, the release read.
Two metres of the eastern wall on the ground floor and three metres of the eastern and southern walls on the top floor were damaged as a result of the fire. A guard hut was also completely destroyed as a result of the fire.
After its evaluation, the GFS said it believes the fire was maliciously set by person(s) unknown.
The Fire Service is advising citizens that there are harsh penalties attached to arson attacks, and once caught, perpetrators will face the full brunt of the law.
Earlier this month, tragedy unfolded at the Brickdam Police Station when the entire station was burnt to the ground.
Reports are that smoke was seen emanating from the eastern end of the Brickdam Police Station, which houses the Region Four ‘A’ Division Headquarters, just before 11:00h on October 2; and, minutes later, the flames had already spiralled out of control.
The fire at the Charlestown Post Office
One man has since confessed to setting the fire, and has been charged for arson.
Days later on October 4, two major catastrophes were averted after quick action from the GFS resulted in the prompt extinguishing of fires at the National Insurance Scheme’s Brickdam, Georgetown office and the Guyana Post Office Corporation’s (GPOC’s) Headquarters on Robb Street, Georgetown.
In September, 60 per cent of the North West Secondary School in Region One (Barima Waini) went up in flames, and the GFS has said it was deliberately set.
It was reported that on the day of the incident, a security guard attached to the school reported hearing at least three explosions before seeing smoke and flames emanating from the direction of the Head Teacher’s Office.
Firefighters in the area and other officials, along with public-spirited persons, responded to the scene and managed to contain the blaze to one section of the school, thus preventing it from spreading to the dormitories, Information Technology Department, and contiguous buildings.
Despite their efforts, the wooden-and-concrete building was severely damaged by the fire. (G9)
